Sapphire Lillies
by Aikee
Summary: Expansion of A Coat of Many Colors. Anna is forced to run when her father threatens her peace of mind. She finally ends up as a scullery maid in a neighboring kindgdom. Will the king there recognize her in his own house? Temporarily Out of Order
1. Chapter 1

It all started over two years ago.

No, it would be farther than that. It started when my mother lay dying. I was only four years old. My mother was a beautiful woman, and Father loved her very dearly. She was an excellent Queen, kind and compassionate, but she was possessive. Later I heard stories about how she had hated anyone of her own sex who looked on father as anything other than a king and a married man.

There were also rumors, spread by the servants, that she had made him promise something strange to her as she lay dying. It prevented him from marrying, at any rate: he needed a male heir to continue the line, and his wife had only borne a girl-child.

I knew very little of this. Father was my friend, he loved me as his only child. I had servants, fine clothes, food. Right now, I would have taken almost anything for food, and would gladly take some humble peasant's gown instead of this hideous cloak I currently wore.

Anyway, when I seventeen, I was exploring the castle. I had just finished formal schooling by a governess, and had been getting bored for some time without classes to fill the void. I could have associated with other young ladies of my own age, but they were dull and had no interest beyond the next ball. I liked balls like any young person would, but they were not my life.

I was exploring, and I decided to go in Father's rooms. I had been in there before, but I wanted to explore a little. After all, there were several drawers and closed trunks, and I was naturally curious. I went in. The chambers were very solemn, all dark woods and evergreen velvet upholsteries. Very elegant and royal, and suited to His Majesty. I eagerly began snooping, hoping to find something beyond value. Fifteen minutes later, I had finished with the majority of bigger drawers. The majority of drawers were filled with papers, contracts, and other information. Some had been interesting, but others had been just plain dull.

I came upon a smaller drawer in a corner. I tried to open it, but it was locked. Smiling at the minor obstacle, I took a hairpin out of my dark tresses and began fiddling with the key-hole. A few seconds later, I had opened the drawer and seen some _very_ interesting objects.

The first was a portrait of my mother. Like I had overheard from the servants, she was indeed a beauty. Long, ebony hair contrasted well with her creamy skin and dark green eyes. The portrait made her look unusually petite, but who could really tell? The next was my parents' wedding certificate, singed by the royal bishop. The third object was a beautiful ring. Silver, shaped like a lily wrapped around in a circular shape. In the middle of the lily was a midnight-blue sapphire. Along with the ring was a necklace and a brooch. The necklace was much like the ring, small, delicate, with a lily in the middle and a sapphire in the middle. The brooch was elaborately wrought with lilies and leaves, with a matched set of sapphires set in between. They were all exquisite.

Now, being the curious creature I am, I tried the ring on. It fit perfectly, too perfectly in fact. When I tried to take it off, I could not. It just wanted to stay there on my hand, perfectly content to not move an inch. I spent a good half-hour trying to take it off, but to no avail.

Now I started to worry. In a few minutes, my father would be coming up. I could leave, but he would see me at dinner. I was almost certain the ring, and the brooch and necklace, had belonged to my mother. He would surely recognize it, and I did not want to upset him. I hurried back to my room, and secured some cloth. I wrapped it around my offending finger, hoping to put him off. I would say I had cut my hand, and no one would be any the wiser until I could figure out how to get it off.

No such luck. That night at dinner, he immediately noticed the bandaged finger.

"Darling, what's wrong with your finger?"

"Nothing at all. I only cut it while sewing." He immediately noticed my odd tone. I noticed it myself. I also _never_ sewed. I never wished to, and thus, never did so.

"I wish to see it after dinner." With that supposedly settled, he continued his meal peacefully.

I however, was horribly nervous. I had absolutely no idea what his reaction would be like, and I feared not knowing. I barely ate any dinner at all.


	2. Chapter 2

After dinner, we both retired to his rooms. I hoped against hope he had forgotten the bangage, but he had not. After he requested to see it, I gave it with all the willingness of a five-year old who knows that the strange liquid is going to sting or taste bitter. When he saw the stolen ring, he sighed. He remained quiet for many minutes, just staring into space. I finally felt compelled to break the silence.

"Father?"

"Yes, dear?" He sounded very tired, which was strange, for he hadn't stopped talking the entire length of the dinner.

"Are you angry?"

"No, just surprised. I don't suppose you know the story behind that ring, do you?"

A story? "No, I don't." Taking another deep sigh, he began.

"Your mother was very beautiful. No figure to speak of, but very charming and petite. Long hair, white skin. You look much like her, except for the eyes. I met her while she was under a spell. After she woke up, she said she had eaten a bad apple. But she was always very possessive. She seemed to hate with a passion the thought of me even looking at someone else, especially as no one else in the court at that time was nearly as beautiful as her."

"Anyway, she gave birth to you, and we lived happily for some time. I'm guessing you saw the matching necklace and pin in the drawer in your snooping today. They were gifts after you were born. She treasured that ring. Wore it all the time, if I remember correctly. "

"When you were four, she got very ill. Her decline was rapid, and within a few months she was dead. On her deathbed, she made me promise to marry again, but to only marry someone who could wear her ring. A few months later, I began to search for a wife. You needed a mother, and I still needed a legitimate heir. However, no one could wear the ring. It was always too small."

"Until now, no one fit the ring. I still need to marry. And you fit the ring."

"WHAT!" Up till now I had remained silent. I had waited for him to tell his tale, but what he was suggesting was….

"What do you think you are suggesting? That I marry you, my own father, and have a child that will have the most messed up family imaginable? What happened to the kind father who bounced me on his knee and always sheltered me?"

"I'm sorry, but this is the only way I can think of that will allow me to fulfill my beloved's wishes. You are young, and will give a son in time. I am getting old, Anna Maria. Do you think I will live forever?"

"NO, but there must be some other way! You still feel, after all this time, you must honor a dead woman's wishes? It's been over twelve years, _Father_, and you still feel compelled by a wife's whims?"

"You have her temper, and her looks," he half-mused. He was not rethinking his position. He was going to sacrifice his daughter to her mother's ideals, and not think of her feelings on the matter.

"I WILL NOT DO IT!"

"SILENCE!" OK, he was really angry now. He was a king used to having his way, and had not been refused in a long time. I think he has gone a little crazy for want of a companion. Still, I will NOT be that companion. He went on-

"Girl, you will marry me, or you will be thrown on the streets with only you body to your name. You have until morning to decide." With that, he motioned for me to leave the room. Only too glad, I left.

Back in my own chambers, I wept. The episode with my own father had disgusted and sickened me. I did not want to do it, but I wanted to live as well. If he threw me out as he said, I would have nothing to do but die.

I could escape. But at this point in time, that would be as bad as running away.

I could marry him. But that would kill my soul, as well as my own inner peace. I would hate myself.

I could…no, _that_ wouldn't work either.

Unfortunately, my father happened to be the most powerful king in the entire continent. I could have eloped with some visiting prince, but that would also kill my soul, and he would as like as not make war and win to bring me back.

What I needed was more _time_. My best option was, in my opinion, was still to run away. But with more time at the palace, I could learn skills that would help me secure some small post in a manor somewhere far from here.

But how to gain time? Father could be impatient, but he was also generous. I knew this from experience. The more difficult the request, the more anxious he was to fulfill it. I would ask for difficult wedding gifts. As a bride, I would require new gowns anyway. I could ask for dresses, as girlish as that sounds. It takes at least a few months to make a gown. It would give me time as the gowns were made. I made my plans, figuring what I would ask for as well as where I could learn how to start a fire and mend a ripped bodice.


	3. Chapter 3

Father was pleased. After I had eaten breakfast, I was called into his chambers. I informed him of my decision.

"Oh darling," he started out. I shuddered, while keeping a smile pasted on. "It will all turn out alright, you'll see. You'll like being queen. You'll get anything you want, I promise you."

OK, here is my chance. "Father, I do have a favor to ask of you. I will need new clothes for my trousseau."

"Of course! I will…."

"No, I want them specially made." I took a deep breath. "I would like three gowns, all silk and simply designed. I want one to be all the colors of the sea. All the greens, whites, grays, and blues. The next I want to be all the colors of the sky. All the whites, blues, blacks, and the occasional reds. The third I want to be all the colors of the snow. I also would like a fur coat made out of all the different furred animals in your kingdom."

He laughed, then tweaked my nose affectionately. UGHHH! "Of course dear. I will have your pretty gowns and coat made exactly to your requirements. Six months after they are all completed, we will have one of the grandest weddings ever to grace this kingdom, Melissa."

Wait a moment. _Melissa?_ My name was Anna Maria. I stole a glance up at Father. He had a strange glazed look, like he had forgotten…

He had gone mad. Not a dangerous mad, he had simply deluded himself into believing that I was my mother. That is why I had been called by her name. That would make things a little easier on me. He dismissed me, and I went down to watch the cooks prepare a meal and take notes.

What next followed were the two busiest years of my life. In the mornings I would often spend time with Father where he continued to believe I was Mother. The afternoons were spent teaching myself to cook, clean, and sew. I became quite good at the first. It was a real pleasure to make something tasty out of plain old ingredients.

When I received the gowns, they were exactly as I had pictured them. Soft and delicate, the skirt draped becomingly without any help from petticoats or a crinoline. All three started with the lightest colors at the top, gradually graduating to the darkest colors of sky, sea, and snow. They were gorgeous.

What took a while was the coat. Many of the furs were easily obtained, but some were interesting. I believe His Majesty spent several hundred gold pieces on some of the rarer furs. But that came too. With a deep hood that hid my face, it was perfect for a cold winter day: or as a disguise. It would come in useful.

Eventually the time was up. It wasn't until the day of the ceremony that I took action. Early that morning, I took the pin money I had saved and packaged it with the three gowns, some rations, and the matching necklace and brooch. I slipped on a simple wool gown I had sewn together, and informed my father, through messenger, that I was going to take a bath. I tied two birds together and tied them to the washtub. Their flapping wings would sound like I was splashing the water as I bathed. It would be a while before they realized my absence. I had considered escaping the night before, but then the maid who slept in my room would have noticed my leaving. It was too risky.

I snuck out as a simple maid. Taking the most indirect routes, I only spotted three people, and none of them saw me. I hurried out of the castle and into my new life.

Living in a costal city has its advantages. After donning the cloak, I asked a sea captain where his passenger ship was headed. He named some place far off, I don't remember where. I had no wish to remember. I paid the fare and boarded as Anna, the girl who wore a cloak and who ate little, as she was seasick most of the trip.

When we reached the new place, I immediately got more rations and set out for a hike. My goal was to find a small manor near an isolated town that needed a new serving maid. However, I am now where we started this tale, burrowed by a tree in the middle of a snowy wood, with nowhere to go. I am too tired to go any farther, to even _think_ any farther. The one good thing is my cloak. It is extremely warm, and is soft, even if it is a little smelly after so much wear. It hides my identity. I doze off.


	4. Chapter 4

Just as I am about to get some sleep, I hear horses.

As they get closer, I realize that I should be happy to see them. I haven't seen another person for some time, and they probably have food for a young, albeit strange, maiden. However, I am still half-asleep, so I am not thinking quite clearly.

As the riders come up to my tree, I hear yells. As I stand up, I realize they are yelling at _me_. I think, from the gist of what they are saying, that they think I am some strange new animal. I try to run, but sleepiness and physical activity don't mix for me. Before I can even tell them that I am a girl, they have tied me up and are about to toss me on the back of a horse when I find my voice.

"STOP!" OK, not very intelligent. But you haven't woken up and suddenly been taken captive by some hunters. I continue. "I'm a person, not some animal! Please untie me!"

"The girl is right." A voice from the back mentions. Everyone turns to face him. Weird. I look at him as well, and receive a shock. I know where I am now.

The hunter who had spoken the truth is none other than King Jeremy. He rules a small country north of my father's. He came to the castle shortly after his father's death a few years ago and made a treaty. He was tall, with black curly hair and dark, dark eyes. I hadn't seen much of him, but he would surely recognize me if he saw me. It was now imperative that I keep the cloak on to avoid being shipped home to my deluded father. He continued,

"The girl is obviously out of luck. I'm sure there is some place she can work at my palace until something more suitable can be arranged. Can you clean, girl?" The last comment was directed at me.

"Yes, I can clean, cook, and sew. I could educate as well, as I had a fine education in my last place. But I am willing to be a cleaning maid if it will give me an occupation."

He replied, "You are obviously not from here. Your accent is different. But I will give you a job." He then motioned to one of the other knights to take me on his horse, and they returned back to the castle, with one extra person than what they had started out with.

A/N: YAY! My very first review! Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

Eventually, we reached the castle. It was small, compared to Father's. Funny how what I once regarded as my home was now just another castle in the world. I think it was a good thing that my separation was so decided. When I had left, I had not thought twice. I had been preparing for the event for almost two years, and I had not had any second thoughts about my decision. Yes, it was now more awkward that I now worked for someone who could expose me for who I truly was, but I would rarely see him. On the way back, I had been informed that I was to be a kitchen maid of the lowest order. Washing the dishes and tending the fire would be my principal duties, most likely. No matter. They would be messy, but I would rather be that than my father's wife.

The man I had been riding with dropped me off by the servant's entrance in the back of the building. Nearby were several wells, a dead garden that would undoubtedly be bearing all sorts of fruits and vegetables in the summer, and the stables. After he exchanged some words with a woman who had come out of the room, he left.

Immediately the woman swept down on me and began examining me. She then motioned for me to come inside.

"It's too cold out here, besides, you really need a bath." She spoke with an air of self-importance. She was older, with a double chin and an authoritative air. She was undoubtedly higher up in the servant ranking, perhaps a cook or head maid.

Once inside, she led me through the kitchens (I noticed they were full of people busy in the various tasks set them) and took me into a storeroom of sorts.

"Come, dear, take off your cloak. I need to see how tall you are exactly for clothes, and I simply cannot tell with the cloak obscuring your contour." She spoke commandingly, but not unkindly. I could easily imagine her as a mother hen looking out for her chick. I hesitated, and then removed the furs. After all, she could have no idea who I might be, right? It was the higher nobles I needed to worry about.

After seeing my small figure, she began musing to herself. "My, aren't you a pretty little thing. You're the eleventh loner His Highness has brought in since he came to throne. He usually has a decent sense of judgment; I would hope he could always be right. You're so tiny, though. You can't be more than fifteen or sixteen…"

"I'm nineteen, madam. " I broke in, a little irritated. My age is something I can be touchy about. Attempting to steer her away from my appearance, I asked, "What will be my duties."

She chuckled. Then, recovering, stated, "You will be a maid in the kitchens. You will mostly be fetching firewood, water, and things like that. You will help wash the pots and pans at night, and then sweep the floor. In a few months, we will be holding the annual winter balls, so you may help with preparing food. Can you cook?"

"Yes, I can cook basic items and prepare foods for cooking. I can also sew, if that's any help."

"No, we have plenty of sewers around here. You won't be needing that. But here, take these," she then thrust a set of plain, but clean, work clothes at me, "and down this hall to the right is a washroom. Clean up good, then come back to the kitchens and I'll show you the ropes. By the way, my name is Leah, if you need anything, let me know." She then left, leaving me with the clothes and a set of directions.

Finally, I was in a safe haven. The work seemed easy enough, and I had a chance for a bath. It would probably get harder, but time would tell. Right now, I have a date with a clean me.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few weeks were busy for me, settling into my new home and getting accustomed to all of the people there. My duties were not so much as that of a maid, but more as a errand girl. Whenever we ran out of eggs, wood, water, or anything else pretty much, I was the lucky one who got to go get it. Of course, the kitchen was always running out of something, so I was kept on my feet from dawn till dusk, when I then scrubbed the pots and pans with some other maids. Whenever I wasn't running errands, I was doing some random chore that no one else wanted to do.

I was correct in saying that Leah was a cook, she was in charge of the bread and any pastries. There were also three other cooks. The sweets chef, Reynolds, was an elderly man with a taste for his sweets and a nice rounded belly to go with it. The two other cooks were both in charge of the more savory dishes, and they were acknowledged as the heads of the kitchen. Baily and Barny were both commanding and exacting. I'm sure they made delicious food, but both were always ordering others around, including me. I made most of my runs for them.

The rest of the kitchen were mostly maids and undercooks. The majority of them went to B&B, but a few went to Reynolds, and Leah had only two protégés, Kayla and Fiona. Both were friendly girls, and both loved their job.

The kitchens seemed to be the meeting place for all of the servants and their kin. Many a time a daughter of one of the maids had come in, and was instantly given a cookie and a lap to sit on. There were gossip groups, with select members of the castle who were often seen together discussing the latest scandal in court. The older ones always consoled each other on their hardships and petted, or scolded, the younger ones. When I had visited the kitchen at my former house, I had never seen so much familiarity. It was like one big, varied family.

The kitchen in itself was small. So were my quarters. Heck, the entire castle was small, especially compared to my Father's. While there I still needed someone with me to remember the out-of-the-way places that I never used but still needed to visit, here I knew almost the entire castle by my second week.

At night, I would go exploring. It was probably stupid, as I worked hard all day and needed a good night's rest. But my stupid curiosity about my new home kept me up anyway, and as the castle was empty at night, it was as good a time as any to learn about it.

The kitchens and servant's quarters were in the back of the castle. On my first night, I discovered the Banquet Hall and the Ballroom. Both were amazing. Both rooms were done entirely in white and gold. The floor was laid with white marble, which sparked gold in the moonlight. The walls were a creamy white with sculpted gold trim. The long, floor-to-ceiling windows were hung with white velvet curtains, but the tables and chairs were finely polished wood, a stark contrast against so much white. The Ballroom had a grand staircase in the front, which led me to the Entrance Hall. Then there was the Grand Hall, in dark woods and crimson upholstery, and then some small, richly decorated rooms that I guessed were used for private purposes.

From my wanderings, I discovered that, although the palace was small, it was rich. Also that the owner, technically my employer, had good taste. I believe that the castle was new, for there were none of the antiques that normally littered older establishments, like my Father's home.

My favorite place, however, were the wells outside the kitchen door. During the day, there was nothing too special about them. But at night, when all was silent, still, and peaceful, I would often grab my coat of furs and simply sit outside for a few minutes and ponder on random things. It was a time to forget of the less important things and remember what I had forgotten

When I first started doing this, I thought of home. How's Father? What's he doing? Was he angry? Has he realized his mistake? How are the servants there? What would they think if they could see me now? Is my horse alright? Is my violin still in good condition? Have I been banished? Has Father found anyone else yet? My answers to myself typically ran OK, Not much, Yes, No, OK, They would laugh, Yes, Yes, Probably not, and No.

That's when I discovered someone else liked my spot as well.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry, I had standardized testing this week. Screw it… Those writing prompts can be so stupid…sorry it's so short. Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own any fairy tales. This is my expansion of "A Coat of Many Colors," but I don't own the story (I don't think anyone can own a really good story, but that's beside the point…)

Thank goodness I had my cloak on. While it was recognizable for its vivid colors, it hid my real identity, which would probably be much more interesting to the present audience.

Fortunately, I don't think he had noticed me yet. King Jeremy hadn't noticed me yet. He seemed deep in thought.

If I had been still at the other castle…I would not be in the shadows. I would be talking to him outright, as equals. He was very nice to look at…we might even be considered sweethearts. But now, I was a but a lowly servant in his house, and he was the master of the entire country. If I even talked to him, I could be severely punished.

Like I had said, he was deep in thought. He looked troubled. Any position of power is a heavy responsibility, and he looked young to already be worrying at the dead of night.

I continued to watch him for a little longer. He continued musing. I suspect I could have moved from my spot without being noticed, but I stayed in my place and watched him. I felt sorry for him: he truly looked distressed. What about, I could hardly guess. I wanted to help him, but I remained in the shadows.

He left about an hour later, with the same pained look in his eyes. I snuck off to bed in my turn.


	8. Chapter 8

The reader might ask why I did not speak at all during these nightly meetings. I might say I was respectful of his privacy, I felt sorry for his situation, or some other rot of that sort. However, the simple truth is that I was scared.

I was scared of being thrown out. This was a good place for me to be. There was no public exposure; the work was simple, if hard on my body at times, but it was growing stronger with the work. I had food to eat and a place to sleep. I had no desire of being thrown out because I had bothered the monarch while he was thinking about something serious.

I was also scared of being discovered. He had probably learned through the gossip chain that the daughter of King Phillip had run away from home, and Jeremy would probably be more than willing to return her to her father's care. And that would mean returning to a commitment that I simply could not keep. If I revealed myself, he might ask me to show my face. Then one thing would lead to another, and I would be trapped inside my father's castle once again with no hope for escape this time.

But I _wasn't_ too scared to pry for information. I thought that maybe if I knew some of his background, I could understand the reason for his nightly wanderings. My curiosity kept pushing me to know more, but I was too dammed scared to ask the source himself. The nearest (and easiest)) source of information was Leah, so she was asked for information first. I didn't try to be subtle, and asked all the questions at once, to make the actual interrogation as short as possible. It came out something like this:

"Who is King Phillip? What kind of king is he? Is he compassionate? What are his relations with others? Does he have any enemies? How about friends? Is there any trouble right now here? Does he have a female friend?" Don't know where that last one came from…

Leah responded with a chuckle and a question. "Ah… what's the sudden curiosity about His Higness?"

I blushed a little. "Only that I have already worked here for a little while, and I am a foreigner that knows almost nothing about the country or ruler. I just want basic information that everyone would know." OK, so maybe more than basic….

Leah chuckled again. "Alright. King Phillip is king of this here land. He is a kind king, who doesn't like much fighting or stuff like that. He could also be called a wise king, though that will probably be better when he's a little older. He is considered unusually compassionate for a ruler, and no one especially dislikes him. No wars or anything of that sort, he gets along pretty well with others in the kingdom. Not that there are never any quarrels, but he usually is the peacemaker. No enemies to speak of, but not many friends either, I would guess. He had to grow up quicker than all of the other young ones in the court, so he never got a chance to make many true friends, I believe. And he does have a lady friend, she's staying here now, I believe. Lady Fiona. She's nice enough, but she probably wouldn't look twice at His Highness if there were someone wealthier about. "

Hmmm…too bad her finger probably wouldn't fit my ring. However, there was no way to find out, as it was still stuck on my finger. I covered it up with work gloves, but it was still there.

But this information was interesting. It at least gave me a tiny clue into his personality. Some small dispute was probably enough to make him worry, and a bigger one would probably make him stay awake at night from worry. And now I had something to add to his face when I examined him that night.


End file.
